Oct. 22, 2013

The Bridge card bills now move to the House. Some critics say the restriction on using ATMs at liquor stores doesn't take into account that for some benefit recipients, that may be the only ATM for miles. / 2001 photo by John Collier/Detroit Free Press

Written by

Kristen M. Daum

Gannett Michigan

LANSING — State lawmakers are moving ahead with legislation that adds restrictions on people receiving public cash assistance, and they sent another bill to the governor’s desk Tuesday that requires drug-testing for those seeking unemployment benefits.

Supporters of the bills say the proposals demand greater accountability from people receiving assistance from the state, but critics have said the new restrictions are overly burdensome.

The Senate passed a package of six bills Tuesday that would restrict where people receiving public benefits can withdraw cash from ATMs using their Bridge cards. The bills cleared the Senate in six votes, 35-3 each, with Detroit Democrats Morris Hood, Virgil Smith and Coleman Young Jr. opposing.

The bills now go to the House for approval. Meanwhile, the House is considering its own package. The Families, Children and Seniors Committee is scheduled to consider the House bills during a hearing Wednesday.

The Senate package prohibits people from using Bridge cards at ATMs in casinos, certain liquor stores, horse-racing tracks and strip clubs. People who receive cash assistance — on average about $540 a month — can use their cards to get cash at ATMs for expenses that normally aren’t paid for with the debit-like cards, such as child care costs or rent.

A recipient still could use his or her Bridge card to pay for food in those locationsbut would have to find an ATM at a different location for cash.

Hood said the legislation did not sufficiently address circumstances where a liquor store ATM might be a Bridge card user’s only option to withdraw the cash benefits.

“The issue that I have, quite simply, is the lack of accessibility of ATMs,” Hood said in a statement. “I agree with the intent of this legislation to make sure that cash benefits from Bridge cards are not being spent for inappropriate uses. I fully support blocking the ATMs at strip clubs and racing tracks.

“However, ATMs located at liquor stores are sometimes the only ATMs available for miles for many of my constituents.”

(Page 2 of 2)

Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who sponsored the package, said the added restrictions allow the state to be more in line with federal regulations that were instituted last year. If the state does not adjust its restrictions to comply, it risks losing $40 million in federal aid, Jones said.

“This is commonsense legislation. Bridge cards should be temporary and should only be used to buy basic necessities,” Jones said in a statement after the vote.

Under an amendment proposed by Jones, Bridge card users still would be able to use the cards at liquor stores where at least 50% of the business comes from food sales. That should better accommodate Bridge card users who live in rural areas, where the liquor and grocery store might be one in the same, Jones said.

Also Tuesday, the House sent legislation related to unemployment benefits to the governor’s office for Republican Rick Snyder to sign.

One of the bills requires people receiving unemployment benefits to submit to drug tests, under risk of losing their benefits if those tests come back positive. House Bill 4952 received final approval from the House by a 83-25 vote. The Senate approved the bill last week also by a wide margin, with majority Republican support.